Vishy opens ‘Chess Mahakumbh’ at KIIT
Bhubaneswar: The International Conference on Social and Educational Chess, under the banner of ‘Chess Mahakumbh,’ was inaugurated at KIIT University on Wednesday, heralding the beginning of a first-of-its-kind mega chess conclave in India. The conference, supported by International Chess Federation (FIDE) and All India Chess Federation (AICF), being held from January 14 to 16, will bring global focus to the role of chess as a tool for education and social transformation. The inaugural day also witnessed the launch of key chess infrastructure and initiatives at KIIT, including the International Chess Hall and Viswanathan Anand Chess Academy, further strengthening the university’s long-standing commitment to promoting chess at both grassroots and international levels.
The event drew an impressive lineup of global chess administrators and legends, including FIDE President and former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, FIDE Deputy President and five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, FIDE Deputy Chair and former Finance Minister of Latvia Dana Reizniece, AICF President Nitin Narang, AICF Secretary Dev Patel and FIDE Event Commission Member Ranjan Mohanty.
Viswanathan Anand, who inaugurated the ‘Chess Mahakumbh,’ said he was delighted to return to Bhubaneswar and praised KIIT’s consistent national recognition for its exceptional institutional support to sports. He said students who regularly played chess often performed better academically.
FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich thanked KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta for his passion and unwavering commitment towards the promotion of chess. Samanta described the occasion as historic, saying chess and Viswanathan Anand were inseparable.
The ‘Chess Mahakumbh’ conference saw participation from eminent chess personalities from over 40 countries, along with 80 leading Indian players, and is expected to engage around 5,200 participants, including over 5,000 players from India, making it one of the largest chess-centric academic and social gatherings ever held in the country.
